


Golden

by BibiannaOddey1850



Series: Aurora Van der Linde Drabbles [3]
Category: Red Dead Redemption
Genre: Canon Character of Color, F/M, Female Character of Color, First Meetings, I'm secretly in love with Charles, Writing Exercise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 17:44:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17105219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BibiannaOddey1850/pseuds/BibiannaOddey1850
Summary: Perhaps she was the reason why he survived for so long.





	Golden

Charles knew, from the instant he saw her all those months ago, that she was untouchable.

He remembered a period in his childhood when his mother said that every encounter and misfortune are conducted by spirit guides. She required him to be observant, and must heed the warnings before anything could happen. He should have listened and did what she told.  
But it was never too late to practice her words.

It was this belief that led him to run away from his tosspot of a father; his wariness had kept him awake to see the traitorous acts of his so-called friends, and his diligence shaped him into the man that he is today.

And then, one morning in the early spring, while traversing the Grizzlies, Charles happened upon the most peculiar sight: a beautiful white mare that possessed a golden mane and tail. The creature made him stop altogether. His heart raced when the horse let out strong huffs of breath; the line of muscles on her body were distinguishable under the rays of the sun.

His mother's words echoed in his mind. Watch out for the signs, my son.

Charles clenched his hands into fists and waited. A cold wind gently blew on the side of his right cheek like a soft caress. The golden mare then swiveled her lovely head to look at him; her nostrils flared, as if to inhale his scent that the breeze brought to her. And then she ran. He quickly followed her; his hunting instincts coming to life.

Any other animal would have difficulty trudging through the thick snow, but not this one. Her strong legs made her departure possible without a snag, whereas Charles was already becoming winded from the chase. Then, the ground underneath him gave way, and he was falling off the edge of a crag. Thankfully, it was a short plunge, and he frantically searched for the beautiful horse with the golden hair.

The rumble of her hooves echoed throughout the mountains, as though taunting Charles. He waded through the mound of snow; his dignity was tender from the fall. Soon enough, there was a mountain spring along the path, and though it might hurt his throat, he found himself kneeling down to dip his face into the cool waters for a drink.

Something caught his attention the second his lips touched the surface of the spring.

Charles raised his head in readiness when he saw a sliver of white moving behind the trees. And then she emerged, draped in an ivory cloak with gold threads glistening under the sun. Everything inside him stilled as the young girl appeared before him. She hadn't seen him yet; it seemed her mind was elsewhere. He pursued her gaze, and realized that a giant elk was standing nearby.

The grand creature stared down at them like a king judging his people. The antlers on his head spread far and wide; he let out a snort before turning away to leave.

"Beautiful, isn't he?"

His shoulders tensed, and he did not know why. Charles understood that the girl was looking at him, but how long had she really known he was there?

He stood to his full height; her eyes widened a fraction, seemingly impressed by his figure. But she quickly hid her surprise and gradually approached him, as if he was some kind of frightened animal. She stopped just at arms length, but he wanted her to be closer.

"Are you a hunter?" She inquired. Charles discovered that he liked the sound of her voice.

"Of sorts," he said after a while.

"I saw you chasing down that mare earlier," she remarked. "Not the most practical choice, but who could resist such a beauty?" He could feel his cheeks becoming warm from her observation. He could only nod his head.

"And you? What is a young woman like you doing in the Grizzlies by yourself?" He asked, and instinctively crossed his arms.

"I'm searching," she said.

"For what?"

"Food to keep my family alive. We're travelling through from the West, you see, and I haven't come across an animal that could keep them well-fed for a time."

It was only when Charles looked down did he notice the glimmer of a rifle under her cloak. She smiled at him for his good perception, and he inhaled sharply.

"Why not take down the beast from before?" Charles proposed. The bow on his back abruptly felt heavy, and he was yearning for a good hunt.

"Oh, I couldn't. You can say I don't have the heart to kill giants like him. I'll leave that to someone robust and skillful." They gazed into the woods together, imagining the great elk staring back at them from the darkness.

"If I may, there is a herd of white-tailed deer at the base of this mountain, I could be able to help you, Miss," Charles proposed.

"Well now! What a stroke of luck!" She fully opened her cloak to reveal the hunting ensemble she wore underneath. Two pistols were kept at her hips, while a large knife was strapped to her left thigh.

"But I warn you, sir, if you try to do something funny, I won't hesitate to put a bullet down your throat."

Charles swallowed at the threat, and she let out a melodious laugh. After which, the girl whistled sharply, and two large mastiffs lumbered out of the forest; their ears were cropped, and their tails were docked short. They growled at the sight of a stranger, but one command from their mistress, and the pair obediently sat down. Before long, they were meandering down the mountain in search of deer.

"I didn't catch your name, by the way."

"Charles Smith. And you?"

"Aurora Van der Linde."

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy y'all~
> 
> So this oneshot is yet another writing exercise for me as I am still working on the main RDR2 fanfic. It'll probably be out by next year since I'm constantly busy with a lot of things.
> 
> But I try to make it up with these little oneshots and drabbles. So it means a lot when there's a hit or some kudos up in this story right here *airhorns*
> 
> Red Dead Redemption II does not belong to me, obviously. If it did, Arthur would have lived happily ever after as a Soft Cowboii.


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